Peripheral Hindsight
by Lookoutthewindow
Summary: "So what do you think this whiteness represents about me, Mister Rokudo?" She laughed scornfully. "Purity? Innocence? Or..." She turned around, staring conspicuously at her shadow. "Death?" "Neither." And she whispered into his ear: "Insanity."AU/Dropped
1. Prologue

_(prolougue)_

_

* * *

_

_-the traitor_

"Well, well. What have you done…Basil?"

The Italian boy stared at the girl in front of him, his wide eyes glowing the same shade as the blue flames dancing solemnly on the top of his head. His outstretched arm shook, almost dropping the hand gun in his hand as he slowly aimed towards the girl in front of him. His other arm hung uselessly by his side, dislocated and broken, and his black suit was covered in rips and splotches of his blood. He bared his teeth like a beast, wincing internally at the pain racking his entire body.

"Why are you here? Le.-leave. Leave now."

The corners of her lips rose in a serene smile. "Oh my, your voice is shaking…could it be that you're afraid?" Despite the gun closely pointed at her, the sight of the wounded boy and the bloody and broken body he stood victoriously over, she did not falter nor show any sign of fear. Like the young child she was, she skipped cheerfully over towards the boy, stepping carelessly on the bloodstained body's right arm as she did so. Almost instantly Basil widened his eyes and backed away from her.

"Stay – STAY AWAY!"

The girl gazed at him with emotionless eyes. Slowly, she raised her foot and brought it down once again on the body's arm. A resounding crack filled the silence of the room, and a small giggle escaped the girl's lip as she noticed Basil's wince.

"What….what are you doing?"

The girl did not answer. Once again she brought her foot down onto the dead man's arm. And again, _and again and again and again and again and again and again until the sounds of bones splintering and her crazed laughter filled the emptiness of the small room, and again and again and again until-_

"STOP IT! STOP IT! DON'T TOUCH MASTER!"

Basil's gun clattered to the floor as he brought his hands up to block his ears. His soothing Rain flames died out, and the boy fell to his knees, his body shaking uncontrollably as he tried to hold himself together.

"Stop it…please…I…I can't take it anymore….Master…Master.."

The girl lowered her foot gently back onto the ground with an unreadable expression, and began walking towards the boy, her sneakers making small footprints of the dead man's blood on the dark purple carpet of the room. Basil immediately stiffened, and began shuffling backwards, watching the approaching girl with anticipation and fear. His heart sank as he felt the wall against his back – he was trapped. _'What…what do I-'_

The girl slammed her foot again the wall, only a centimeter from Basil's face. His eyes widened as he realized it was the same foot she used to break the dead body's arm, and flinched as cold blood dripped from her sneaker onto his shoulder.

"You're a fool."

Basil simply stared, his voice stolen by panic.

Her expression was unreadable as she continued. "Iemitsu is dead. You killed him. Why are you fretting over it so much?"

"He…he was my master-"

"And yet you killed him with your own hands." She gestured to the body across the room, and Basil recoiled as if hit by a blow. "He is dead. He is gone. His body means nothing – he is gone. It is done. Either you can wallow in your guilt and self-pity, or you can abandon your conscience for the time being and remember exactly why you killed him in the first place, or are you having second thoughts?"

Basil turned away; the girl grabbed his chin to force him to look at him.

"You can't go back. Not anymore. The moment you landed the first blow on Iemitsu you could not go back. Do you think the Vongola famiglia will accept you now, after you have murdered their leader of CEDEF?" She looked fiercely into his eyes. "They will _rip you to pieces like the beasts they are._"

Basil shook his head. "No…it's not that...I won't go back….I'll go through with the plan…it's just…."

The girl's tone softened, if only by a notch. "Iemitsu's death was necessary. If you truly care for him, make it so that his death had a meaning, so that he died for a reason." She took down her foot, and offered a hand to the kneeling boy. "And for that to happen, you must succeed."

Basil shrunk from the offered hand. He stared at it with wide eyes, as if seeing it for the first time.

"I just realized….I thought I knew you….but now I realize…..who are you?" He looked up at her. "_Who are you?"_

The serene smile returned to the girl's lips, and a giggle escaped her lips once more. Her serious expression had left her as if it had never been there. "Look carefully at my face Basil. Who am I?"

Basil stared at her, searching for features he knew, features he recognized. _"Who..?"_

His eyes widened. "Mi- Miura Haru?"

Haru's playful smile widened into a fully fledged Cheshire grin.

_And now let the games begin._

_

* * *

-the girl_

The door was open. The door had been open the whole time, if only a small crack.

But that was all Mukuro had needed to watch and observe.

The pineapple-head boy's lips rose in a secretive smile, and silently he turned on his heel to walk calmly away, brushing his fingers against the pure white marble walls of the corridor. One corridor branched into another, each as empty and silent as the other, save for the numerous doors decorating the walls; some twisting and turning into corners, some leading to dead ends, some fitted with stairs that led up down, sideways, or to nowhere. Despite this, the boy seemed to know precisely where he was going, and it wasn't long until he had turned a corner to stand calmly before a brown-haired girl lying leisurely on the ivory floor, almost sleeping. Her eyes slowly opened, revealing amber depths, and slowly, lethargically, she rose to her feet, her white dress billowing around her like clouds.

It was a while before either of them spoke, both preferring to observe and regard the stranger before them. A certain wariness seemed to arise in the girl, her posture becoming tense as the boy's lay relaxed.

"You're not dead." The tone was of curiosity and demand for explanation.

Mukuro bowed, but his knowing smirk seemed to make his action a mockery of the real thing. "My name is Mukuro Rokudo. Please to meet you. And yes...I am not dead."

The girl tilted her head. "None but the dead wander these halls...save for me." Her eyes seemed to dim at the idea. "Are you like me? A Ke-"

Mukuro shook his head. "No, I am not. You may consider me...a tourist."

"A tourist?"

"Yes. A visitor. One who will visit frequently, but cannot stay."

"...I assume there is a particular reason you are 'visiting', then."

Mukuro smiled mockingly at her. "Of course. I simply wanted to talk to mysterious urban legend herself. The beautiful girl in white who leads the souls of the dead to heaven."

The girl stared at him. "...I'm an urban legend? Ah! No, wait, more importantly...how did you even get here? I mean...you can't just-"

"I saw a door in my dreams, and decided to walk through it."

"...what?"

"I saw a door in my-"

"No! I mean, that doesn't just happen! It's impossible-"She quietened as she finally caught glimpse of the boy's red eye behind his bangs. Her eyes widened, before they lowered in some kind of pseudo-respect.

"...ah...so you're one of Those Who Remember..."

Mukuro smiled again, this time with surprising gentleness. "Yes...I suppose so..." His eyes darted around, scanning the stark white walls of the labyrinth. "...It's changed quite significantly from what I remember..."

The girl shrugged. "We don't stay forever. We serve our time, and then we leave for the Gate ourselves, and another replaces us." She gestered to the walls. "The halls reflect on each Keeper's soul, so naturally, each Keeper has a different...style."

"However...it was never...this white."

The girl stared at him, surprised. "Never?" The surprise quickly turned to bitterness. "So what do you think this whiteness represents about me, Mister Rokudo?" She laughed scornfully. "Purity? Innocence? Or..." She turned around, staring conspicuously at her shadow. "Death?"

"Neither." And suddenly he was right before her, cradling her face gently with his hands. The girl had no time to scream or back away, only managing to widen her eyes. "You know...don't you? What this whiteness represents. What **that shadow** represents? Don't you, Kyoko Sasagawa?"

Kyoko's eyes dimmed as her pupils dilated, and her shadow writhed around her ankles, it's white grin never fading. A vicious smile appeared on her sweet face, and she whispered into Mukuro's ear.

"_Insanity."_

_

* * *

_

_-the prisoner _

Gokudera sighed as he reached into his pocket for another smoke, cursing as he found it too damp to even consider lighting. _Stupid blizzard. Stupid Vendicare. Stupid Mukuro. Stupid Juudai-no no no no no no, awesome, benevolent, equivalent-of-a-god Juudaime. _The 24 year shook his head violently, water and ice spraying from his silver tresses. The fur lined coat hadn't helped him from the blizzard at all, and he was _freaking cold and miserable and feeling very much like a drowned rat goddammit and why the fuck wasn't he in the warm and comfortable climate of Italy right now oh because he had to do a freaking check up on the stupid pineapple head in the freaking Europe Vendicare Prison which is in the freaking mountains and why the fuck is there a constant blizzard here fuck it's not natural and he just really really wants to be back home-_

"You are from Vongola?"

Gokudera whipped his head around in surprise, his sharp eyes searching around the cold, dark, unwelcoming hallway of the Vendicare entrance, stopping only when it reached the stoic figure of a guard. Tall, imposing as always, his black robes and hat and bandaged face caused a slight shiver of fear (not that he would ever admit it) in the proud Italian. Coughing to hide his apprehension, Gokudera nodded in affirmation, showing the guard his Vongola Storm Ring on his finger as proof.

"I have come to check upon the conditions of one of your prisoners, Mukuro Rokudo, as a representative of the Vongola Don, Tsunayoshi Vongola You would have received a request for this from the Don exactly two weeks ago, which you accepted. " His voice was cold, professional, a mask to his irritation and traces of fear.

The guard nodded. Of course the guard already knew this and needed no real explanation, but it reduced the chances of Gokudera being an imposter, even if they had probably already checked, double-checked and triple-checked his identity the moment he had even approached the foot of the mountain. He had heard stories and rumors in his youth about how the Vendicare even conducted discreet eye scans and DNA checks on those who approached the mountain, so that only the most skilled illusionists who could fool even DNA could infiltrate the prison. _Stupid, paranoid Vendicare._

But the guard was moving now, gesturing the Italian to follow him as he disappeared into one of the dark corriders branching from the room, and Gokudera pulled himself out of his thoughts to hurriedly follow the rapidly disappearing guard.

Two hours later, he was beginning to regret this. The dark corridors of the prison was a nightnare-fueled labyrinth of titanium metal where the occasional screams and moans of some of the prisoners echoed horrifyingly. Despite the numerous twists and turns they had taken in the past, the black clothed guard seemed to know exactly where they were going. _An impossible labyrinth which not only prevents intruders getting in, but prisoners getting out, I suppose. This is creepy..godammit I need a smoke.._

Finally, _goddamn FINALLY, _they reached the heavily guarded titanium double doors of the deepest level of the labyrinth. Gokudera allowed himself to stare in amazement at the gigantic structure, his wet cigarette falling from his lips. It was a huge, gigantic thing, covered almost completely by locks, bolts and chains of every kind, from the electronic and modern code protected ones to the gigantic old fashioned padlocks there purely for power. Despite the numerous locks, it seemed to take only a minute for the door to open slowly and silently with ominous grace.

Gokudera gained composure again, walking briskly through the imposing doors to the centre of the room where a large glass tube sat vertically, filled with green, almost luminescent fluid. His pace slowed as he neared it, and with a critical eye he observed the creature floating gently inside the tube.

It was dressed in the customary white straitjacket of the prison, its wrists and ankles chained to heavy manacles. Numerous tubes were attached to the figure's face, and Gokudera noticed a strange device attached to the right eye, whilst its left was sewn shut. Long blue hair floated gently around the figure, giving the illusion of calmness and beauty. Gokudera stared, his head tilted to his left as he regarded the weak, fragile body of the once feared Mukuro Rokudo. He couldn't help but liken the image to a baby in a womb...a mentally twisted baby in a rather screwed up womb.

Sighing, he turned to speak to the guard, only to stop and whirl back towards the glass structure as he noticed something quite decidedly strange. Looking carefully through the tubes surrounding the illusionist's face, he saw again what he had glimpsed before.

_That pineapple bastard...is he ...grinning?_

It was creepy, downright creepy, and the silver haired man stepped back instinctively, turning back towards the guard when-

_Crack_

Gokudera froze. _The glass?_

The last thing he remembered was the world exploding around him in timeless flowers of glass, water, blood and tears.

_(prologue end)_

_

* * *

_Author's note:

Yeah, so after leaving this fic for about half a year or so, I decided to come back to it, improving it, changing it and stuff. To those who had been expecting frequent updates to it...I'm sorry? Please don't kill me? *puppy dog eyes*

Yeah, so many things have changed about the fic, including where it had been going, the concepts of it, etc. My ideas about it had changed and such – it didn't really help that it was such a vague idea in the beginning. And now I've even added a new main character to my misfit crew of Haru, Basil, Mukuro and Kyoko – Gokudera! Mostly because his inner monologue swearing is kinda calming for me to write...yeah that doesn't make sense.

I'd like to say that my ideas for it have cleared and that even my writing has improved...but problem is that it probably won't be true. I'm such a bad fanfiction writer in that I can't update quickly enough and my ideas about the fic change alot – I'm so fickle.

But please bear with me. I can't promise much other than this fic will be taking up of all...well...most...some of my creative thoughts, and that I am eager to where it''ll take me. It might help that it's my holidays now...kinda.


	2. Chapter 1

**Peripheral Hindsight: Chapter One**

Author's Note: Just thought I should point out the timeline of this story and when it is set. Just think of it being set straight after the Ring Arc (you know, the arc in which Xanxus and Varia come along for the first time) and in an alternate timeline in which the events of this fic happens and not the Future Arc. (not to say that Byakuran, Shouichi and the rest won't be making any appearances though…this doesn't count as a spoiler right?) So… kinda before and during the Enma arc.

Also: I just realized that there is too little space on the description for all of this. The genres are Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Spiritual …and a whole lot more.

_Update on 14/12/10: _Yeah so I've returned from the fanfiction dead, bringing along with it the new and improved version of Peripheral Hindsight! Which means, that instead of the update you've been looking for, you have to read everything again, starting from the now very changed prologue. Huh.

_Update on 21/09/11_: Woah. It's been quite a while since I wrote this…o.o. Unfortunately I've ran out creative juices for this fic…I honestly can't think of anything more to write for it. I wrote this chapter and the new prolougue like more than a year ago – but that was all I could get up to until I simply couldn't think anymore…so yeah. What I'm updating right now is the first chapter which I wrote ages ago but never uploaded because I thought it didn't seem finished. Since I probably won't ever finish it – I thought I might as well upload it anyway….

On another note – this fic may be getting a spiritual successor soon. The keyword being: MAY

* * *

_(chapter one: the girl)_

_nine years ago:_

It was a beautiful Monday morning. The sun was shining gently, the sky was cloudless and calming blue, the birds were trilling their pretty songs, the Namimori disciplinary head was methodically beating all the students late for class with his trusty tonfas, ah, yes, a truly beautiful day.

Well, as beautiful as it could possibly be considering the circumstances. The circumstances being:

It is 9:05 am

School begins at 9:00 am

Hibari-senpai will hunt down and beat up any latercomers to school.

Instead of being seated at her desk in class at this time as she should be, Kyoko Sasagawa is currently rushing along the footpath towards school, a hurried breakfast between her teeth (toast, as always), her school uniform rumpled and some buttons loose (considering she had thrown them on in 3 seconds, that was quite impressive it was on properly at all, actually), and silently cursing her broken alarm clock that had failed it;s daily duty of waking her up on time. (Her older brother couldn't even help her in this aspect as he always woke up 3 hours before for his boxing training). Which was understandably important, considering the school's disciplanary committee leader was _Hibari-senpai._

Kyoko simply chewed her toast angrily, promising vengeance upon her clock later. What mattered the most now was somehow reaching school on time – _oh no wait, it's already 9:05...(insert swear word here) – _and since that had failed, somehow managing to creep into school without anyone – especially Hibari-senpai – noticing and pretending that she had arrived to school _on time_ and been there all this while.

...

Ok so that was a bit of a long shot. She needed a new plan. Slowing down as she passed by a red car parked on the curb, she stopped to let herself catch breath, her mind running away with all the options available. _Why don't I just pretend I was sick today and couldn't come to school? I could probably fake it well enough to trick mom...oh no wait, we have an important test today I can't miss though...ugh, what am I going to do? Well...hm...maybe I could-_

It had happened all too fast.

Suddenly she was flying, falling,and then all too soon hitting the gravel of the footpath again. A roar seemed to travel through the suddenly grey, smoke and smog filled air – _huh? When did this happen..?_ – followed shortly by shrills and screams with the underlying crackling sound of...flames?

_Fire? Is there fire? I can't...tell..._

The flames..the heat...it was burning her...too hot...burning her face.._.need to get away...crawl away...too hot..._

But her arms and legs would not move, numb and powerless on the sidewalk, no matter how much she willed it to, no matter how much her face burned from the heat painfully...painful..sopainful...

_Like thousands of needles stabbing my face..._

Suddenly she became aware the voices, the screams and yells over the overbearing roar of flames. _What are they saying? I...can't...hear so well... _

"...-bulance! Someone call the ambulance!"

"Put the fire out! Water! We need water!"

"Poor girl..."

"I think her back is broken...don't move her!"

"Can you hear me? You have to stay conscious right now, at least until the ambulance arrives!"

_Ah...but...I'm so sleepy...I just...want...to...close my eyes...for...a...while..._

"She's hit her head!"

"You can't sleep! You have to stay awake! Ple-"

But Kyoko was dead to the world.

* * *

_(Harada Hiroshi has entered the chatroom)_

Harada Hiroshi: Hello.

Harada Hiroshi: …..

Harada Hiroshi: Hm…looks like no-ones here yet. I guess I'll wait a bit.

.

.

.

_(Saya-chii has entered the chatroom)_

Saya-chii: HELLO EVERYONE!

Harada Hiroshi: Hello Saya-san. You seem very happy today.

Saya-chii: Yup!

Harada Hiroshi: Did something good happen?

Saya-chii: Hehehehe….it's a secret ~~~

Harada Hiroshi: I see….^-^;;

Harada Hiroshi: Ah, I nearly forgot. I emailed the data to you for the NPCs in the game a few hours ago. Did you receive it, Saya-san?

Saya-chii: Yup! Thank you, H-chan! Now I can work on the details!

Harada Hiroshi: Erm….could you please not call me 'H-chan'? It sounds a bit like it's referring to….you know.

Saya-chii: Sex and Hentai?

Harada Hiroshi: …

Saya-chii: Ah~~ H-chan is so innocent and cute!

Harada Hiroshi: Ah, well, um…..yea. I've sent the data to wagashi-hime-san too….hm…but she isn't online today it seems.

Saya-chii: She's probably busy~~

Harada Hiroshi: Yea…I guess. It's school exams soon…..sigh.

Saya-chii: Hehehe, we don't have exams yet where I live ~~

Harada Hiroshi: You're so lucky, Saya-san…..:(

Harada Hiroshi: Oh yeah, talking about school, there was some kind of accident in my town today. I don't really know the details….but it looks like a car parked on the curb exploded as a school-girl was walking past it…

Saya-chii: Oooo..is she alright?

Harada Hiroshi: I don't know much about what happened to her after. All the information I know is from word of mouth. It's probably going to come up on the news this evening too.

Saya-chii: Ah….you're so cold, H-chan. At least try to sound emotional about the case rather than just stating hard facts. A girl may have died you know~~

Harada Hiroshi:…? Eh? I AM upset about the accident, Saya-san! I'm really hoping the girl survived! And please stop calling me H-chan!

Saya-chii: Hahaha, just kidding, H-chan! Ah, it looks like I have to go~~

Harada Hiroshii: So soon? You just got here, Saya-san.

Saya-chii: Hm? Is H-chan beginning to long for my presence? Is he wishing that our relationship become deeper so that we have a romantic story to ourselves? AH~~ I LOVE YOU TOO H-CHAN!

Harada Hiroshii: Eh? EH? No no no no I didn't mean that, Saya-san! And please stop calling my H-chan!

Saya-chii: Ah~~ H-chan is just too cute. See ya~~

_(Saya-chii has left the chatroom)_

Harada Hiroshi: ….sigh

Harada Hiroshi: Well, I guess I'll be going too.

_(Harada Hiroshi has left the chatroom)_

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_(siGrE has entered the chatroom)_

siGrE: W

siGrE: H

siGrE: E

siGrE: R

siGrE: E

siGrE: A

siGrE: R

siGrE: E

siGrE: Y

siGrE: O

siGrE: U

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siGrE: Y

siGrE: O

siGrE: U

siGrE: C

siGrE: A

siGrE: N

siGrE: N

siGrE: O

siGrE: T

siGrE: H

siGrE: I

siGrE: D

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siGrE: 20857918129194514

_(siGrE has left the chatroom)_

* * *

She was dreaming, Kyoko realised.

Well, she had to be. She was pretty sure no room like this existed in real life, it would be physically impossible. The walls and ceiling seemed to be made of razor sharp shards of translucent glass, held aloft in the air by nothing but imagination and dream fueled impossibility. However, even as she walked across the knived floor or ran her fingers across the sharp edges of the glass, she was surprised to find that no pain seemed to register in her mind, no blood dripped from her non-existant cuts. The glass yielded to her as she gently pressed against it, like jelly. It was an illusion, she realised. An illusion of danger and pain that hid the gentle softness of the walls, floor and ceiling of the room.

_What..is this place?_

"A dream."

Kyoko whipped around, startled and surprised. _Wasn't I alone? Who's here? _She didn't have to search for long. On the other side of the room stood a woman, dressed smartly in a black trouser suit, complete with the grey tie, black leather shoes, and even the glinting gold watch. Her blonde hair was pinned tightly in a bun, and her narrow grey eyes stared dispassionately at the Asian girl before her. Kyoko blinked. _Why am I dreaming of a stylish European woman?_

Kyoko felt the need for explanation. "Um...who are you? Why are you here? Where is here? What is this place?" _Isn't this a dream? Why am I asking? There's no point in trying to make sense of a dream...right?_

"Ignoring the first two questions, I am the Keeper. I am here because it is my duty, and this is your Room of Conscience, your dreamland."

"...huh?"

The woman's gaze softened. "You are dead, Kyoko Sasagawa. You were involved in an accident in which a car exploded into flames the moment you passed by it. You were caught up in the explosion...and you did not make it."

The girl stared. _Dead? Dead? But I can't be...I mean..._

Pain suddenly lanced through her, and she choked in surprise and shock. Looking down at her body she forced back vomit; everything below her collarbone appeared charred and burnt black beyond repair, yellow pus oozing from the most severe ones, and she swore she saw white bone peeking through the damaged flesh of her left shin and _oh my god what is this I can't handle no no no no no no-_

And suddenly the woman had her arms around her, murmuring in her comforting alto, rubbing her back soothingly – "Not any more, Kyoko. All of it's gone now. You are free from your body."

And it was true. Everything she said was true. Kyoko relaxed her body, feeling it morph from the ugly, pained picture of a corpse to one of a healthy girl in a simple white shift. The woman simply smiled, wordlessly holding out a hand which Kyoko shyly took, and began to slowly lead her towards the pure white door on the opposite end fo the room. _That...that was never here before..._

The woman opened it carefully, and Kyoko stared in wonder, her amber eyes widening at the sight beyond the door. It was a corridor, a beautiful corridor, with rich red and gold coverings and carpet lining the walls and floor. Crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, emitting a warm and hazy glow, and the from the walls hung paintings of every style and era, from Picasso to the Renaissance Michelangelo. The woman gently began to lead her along the corridor, and Kyoko followed mutely.

She did not notice the white door fading into nothingness, nor her room shattering to pieces, the glass finally yielding to gravity and falling into oblivion.

It was a labyrinth, Kyoko realised. A beautiful, richly decorated labyrinth, coloured in the royal red and gold, riches and pieces of priceless art handing from it's walls. It was endless, and like her room, bound by no laws of physics; the corridors branched everywhere, upwards, downwards, diagonally, and yet the two females seemed to be able to walk along all of them as if they were all horizontal. Littered randomly along the walls of the maze were occasional doors of various designs, size and colours, some upright, some mounted sideways, some in impossible diagonal angles. Some were as grand and huge as the entrance of a royal palace, some were as tiny as a playing card, some were old and of rotting wood. It was all very strange, Kyoko observed, and yet she could feel no sense of confusion or loss, just the drunken warmth of acceptance. _Everything's alright. Everything's fine. She's leading me to the afterlife...away from death, away from my loss..._

_**Are you sure?**_

Kyoko froze. The woman looked back at her, a slight expression of confusion in her grey eyes. Kyoko hastily smiled back at her, gesturing for her to continue on.

_**How do you know she will lead you to the afterlife? Why are you so sure?**_

_She will. I just know. She's the Keeper._

_**And where does this unfaltering trust come from? From you and your rational thought? Or from her?**_

_...what?_

_**You remeber what she did before. She drugged you with warm emotion, numbing your pain,confusion and loss giving you feelings of acceptance.**_

_That was for my own benefit._

_**But my question is; what else did she numb? What else did she take from you? What other emotions did she give to you to feed upon? Such as this delusion of safety and comfort, and the delusion that she will lead to more safety and comfort! The afterlife! Hah! **_Her shadow began to writhe, jerking it's limbs irratically, and Kyoko shuddered in horror as she felt it begin to creep from the floor to her ankles. _**Even if she were, what makes you so sure that the afterlife is butterflies and flowers like you think?**_

_Leave me alone, leave me alone-_

"We're here."

Kyoko looked up, startled, but the question on her lips faded as she stared at the massive structure before her. A giant gate stood proudly before her, majestic and otherwordly in its form, but it was a gate in the loose sense of the word. It was and held up by nothing but shining light of every colour, every intensity, so blindingly pure and beautiful. _Sculpted by angels..._

_**Beauty means nothing. It's an illusion, a mask...**_

Kyoko ignored it, instead turning to look expectantly at the woman. "Is this..?"

The woman simply nodded, her expression distant once more. But Kyoko took no notice, simply basking in the gate's beauty. Tears fell from her eyes, tears of happiness...

_**Tears of fear. Rational, understandable fear. Fear of the unknown...**_

The gate began to open. Slowly, almost too slowly for Kyoko, who wanted to run up to and through it, into the warmth and safety that it represented, that it would offer her...

_**Why are you so sure?**_

_It's beautiful...of course it would-_

_**I guess I shouldhave expected this from such a vain one.**_

_Va...vain?_

_**Always relying on beauty to judge upon others. Always using beauty to further your own aims. How many times have you fooled others into believing you are an angel, a kind hearted, innocent beautiful girl? You've fooled the whole school, total strangers, even your own family. Who hasn't fawned over your large amber eyes? Your pale skin? And now you are fooled by your own methods; judging the afterlife by the beauty of the gate! **_The shadow scoffed, and Kyoko froze as she felt it ripple around her ankles. _**Foolish, disgusting, useless. Cast away your delusions of this gate. What do you really know? What do you think will happen when you step through it? Nothing. Nothing at all. Who can you trust here? No-one. No-one save for ourselves.**_

_Ourselves..._

_**Yes... Us.**_

The shadow rippled, and began to rise jerkily from the floor like a limp puppet, tendrils of darkness reaching out to latch onto Kyoko to pull itself upright. A single white crescent appeared upon its head like a distorted grin.

**_We're all this labyrinth needs. _**

**_Destroy her._**


	3. Extras

Author's Note: Since I'm not going to update this anymore – I thought I might as well upload the snippets of stuff I'd already written. I'm not too sure this is even a good idea, and whether you'll be able to even understand it….but oh well.

Here you go…

(This is especially for you, RR .)

* * *

The first time she had wandered into that child's room, it had been due to simple curiosity.

The entrance had been strange enough; a large ivory door decorated with gold and silver, in pristine condition and shining magnificence, and yet once you neared it, it would become clear that all was just a simple picture painted on a much plainer and smaller door.

Kyoko had cocked her head to the side then, and without a moment's hesitation, twisted open the handle and stepped in.

She found herself standing on air.

To be more specific, she found herself standing on a large soft, warm cloud floating gently hundreds of feet above the ground. It was comfortable, and she had the sudden urge to lie down and close her eyes.

"Who are you?"

Kyoko blinked and turned around; she had not noticed that she was not alone. On the other side of the cloud stood a small boy, his hair as white as the clouds around them, and his large lavender eyes staring curiously up at her. His small arms greedily clutched a jar of colourful candy to his chest, as if it held his greatest treasures, and if Kyoko had met him in the real world, she would've squealed at his adorableness. For he was: adorable, cute…..but also possessing some kind of otherworldliness about him.

_Like an angel._

Kyoko blinked again, realizing that she had been caught staring. "Who am I? I can be anything. I can be anything I want to be….anything that you want me to be." She skipped over to him, bouncing softly on the cotton texture of the cloud, giving a mock curtsey with her simple shift as she landed in front of him. "What would you like me to be?"

The boy stared in amazement at her, his small mouth opening in an 'o'. "Are you an angel?"

"If you wish me to be."

Suddenly his mouth tightened and he shook his head frantically, clutching the jar more tightly to his chest. "No…no…I don't want you to be an angel. If you really can be anything I want to be…then…."

"Will…..will you become my mama?"

Kyoko did not say a word, and simply leaned down to hug him. He was so small in her arms….so fragile….

_Like a breakable toy._

* * *

"_Let us destroy the mafia together…."_

* * *

"Are you a succubus?"

Kyoko spit out her drink, and if she had managed to acquire more sincerity, she might have apologized to the boy in front of her for receiving most of the drink on his face. Instead she stared blankly at him, a microscopic hint of embarrassment on her cheeks. "What makes you think that?"

The boy wiped his face with his sleeve. "Well, you appear to me in my dreams, and you're a girl. And you're beautiful."

"That doesn't mean I'm a succubus. I'm just a girl who appears in your dreams, and who happens to be beautiful." She paused. "That was a compliment wasn't it? Thank you."

"You're welcome."

An awkward silence passed between them.

"….are you really not a-"

"_No. I'm not._"

* * *

_(wagashi-hime has entered the chatroom.)_

wagashi-hime: …..no one's here …dammit.

_(wagashi-hime has left the chatroom.)_

.

.

.

_(siGrE has entered the chatroom.)_

siGrE: found her

siGrE: found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her found her

.

.

.

.

siGrE: punish

siGrE: kill

_(siGrE has left the chatroom.)_

* * *

_(Harada Hiroshi has entered the chatroom.)_

Harada Hiroshi: No-one here yet? Why am I always first? -_-;;

.

.

_(Saya-chii has entered the chatroom.)_

Harada Hiroshi: Ah, hello Saya-san.

Saya-chii: Hi H-chan!

Harada Hiroshi: …. Please stop calling me that..

Saya-chii: Hehehe

_(wagashi-hime has entered the chatroom.)_

Saya-chii: Ah! Waga-chan!

Harada Hiroshi: Hello Wagashi-san . It's been a while

_(wagashi-hime has created a private chat)_

wagashi-hime: Saya…it's done. 09126246, at the usual place. I've found the intruder.

Saya-chii: Hehe~~~ Efficient as always.

wagashi-hime: …don't break your promise.

Saya-chii: I'm a girl of my word P:

wagashi-hime: …are you planning on involving Hiroshi soon?

Saya-chii: ….

Saya-chii: No.

Saya-chii: Never.

* * *

The white haired teenager grinned at him cheekily. "But it's so fun to pretend to be a hormone driven teenage girl!"

"Byakuran-san…."  
"Yes, Shou-chan?"

"You're being disturbing."

Byakuran pouted. Haru simply sipped her drink, and wondered why her forum friend was so ambiguously gay.

* * *

"Tell me I'm beautiful, Mukuro."

Mukuro raised an eyebrow, but did not even spare her a glance, too preoccupied with his 'fishing'. "I'm afraid I don't make a habit of lying."

Kyoko pouted, however the action was as cold as her heart. "Basil would've said so." She smiled dreamily as she twirled in a happy dance in the white-washed corridors of her labyrinth. "He would've told me how beautiful I was, with the charm and desperation of a knight wanting love from his princess."

Mukuro's gaze did not waver from the motionless fishing line in the grey pond, and his expression stayed unchanged – unaffected. "Your vanity knows no bounds, it seems. Rejoice, there is now none to tell you how beautiful you are. Basil is gone, and I unfortunately am not generous enough to indulge you."

Kyoko stopped her movements, her dress billowing around her still figure. A blank look washed over her eyes. "Gone?"

The purple headed boy shrugged. "Gone forever."

* * *

"What am I now, Mukuro?"

No one answered back. The prison stayed silent and lifeless as it had for many years now.

"What am I now? Am I a ghost? I no longer have a body, maybe not even a soul; just a living conscious floating within the dreams of others. What am I now? What am I?"

The silence was overwhelming. Kyoko felt tears beginning fall from her eyes as fear finally began to settle into her being.

"What am I now?"

* * *

"Hello, child."

Byakuran did not stir from his chair, nor did he flinch from the ghostly words from nowhere. A grim smile formed on his perfect lips, and his eyes crinkled in fake amusement, as he leaned forward towards his desk to his new visitor. He could not however, hide the trembling of his fingertips nor the bead of cold sweat that ran down his neck.

"Hello….Sasagawa…Kyoko."

She laughed, an eerie imitation of joy and amusement pouring from her non-existant lips.

"No, I am no longer Sasagawa Kyoko. Didn't your friend 'Harada Hiroshi' tell you? 'Sasagawa Kyoko' died two days ago – I believe her funeral will be this Saturday, if I'm not mistaken." Her tone was as flippant as if she was talking about the weather.

Byakuran licked his dry lips. "Really now?"

"Uhuh. But guess what?" A childish giggle echoed through the room and the white haired boy flinched as he felt a cold hands carefully take hold of his shoulders. A breath of cold air exhaled next to his ear, and he froze as the singsong voice whispered into it.

"From now on I am your nightmare.

I will haunt your dreams, your every waking day,

I'll be with you….forever and ever.

Until the day you die….or until the day you give in to my insanity."

* * *

_(epilogue)_

"Whatever do you think happened to Kyoko's shadow, Gokudera?"

* * *

A single hand rose from the still waters of the grey pond, weakly clasped onto the fishing line as Mukuro carefully, ecstatically reeled it in. It was the colour of shadow, black and withering, tendrils of black mist wafting from it like smoke.

All was still, as Mukuro simply stared at his prize.

_(waiting…waiting all this time….)_

All was still, as he reached out to it with a shaking hand.

_(…so long…..so long….missed..you…"_

All was still, as a single, terrible smile graced his lips.

"_Whatever do you think happened to Kyoko's shadow, Gokudera?"_

_(the end)_

* * *

Author's Note:

So yeah, just a bunch of snippets of the story which will never be uploaded properly. There were a lot of ideas which I was eager to use, but most likely it'll just be recycled if I ever do write that spiritual successor fic I'm promising.

I'm not going to explain what was happening in each of these scenes, because honestly – it's complicated and will take some while to explain. Also I might be recycling them for the possible spiritual successor fic – so think of this as a kind of preview.

By the way, did you guys manage to guess in the end who the internet chatroom people were? It probably got obvious as you read on, but just in case:

Saya-chii: Byakuran

Harada Hiroshi: Irie Shoichi

wagashi-hime: Miura Haru

siGrE: Basil/The Original Keeper (the one that gets killed in Chapter 1)


End file.
